The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is going on sale in the United States. I might have to write that again, because I can't quite believe it myself. The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is going on sale in the United States. Ahhh, that feels good!

We know the 4C is heading this way because parent company FIAT has recently announced that the coupe will be a star at the 2014 New York Auto Show, taking place mid-April, before turning up in Maserati dealerships around the end of June this year.

That's the plan, at least. No doubt some fans of this famed Italian marque have been following the saga, and if any of them held their breath waiting for Alfa's return, they probably turned blue last year. The great expectation was that Alfa would soon follow FIAT's reintroduction to the North American market once the 500 subcompact debuted here in 2010. This was postponed until 2012 and then 2013. As these fans will testify, 2013 turned out to be a distinctly Alfa-free year for North America.

Things are all set to change with the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C. It doesn't go for huge power; 240 horsepower emanates from its turbocharged 1.75-liter engine. But this punchy little 4-cylinder sits in the middle of a mainly carbon-fiber body, so the car is light and well-balanced. The sprint from standstill to 60 miles per hour takes a fleeting 4.5 seconds, and curb weight is just below 1,900 pounds.

And if you hadn't already noticed, the 4C is a looker, pretty much like every other Alfa Romeo there's ever been. It's this combination of style, poise and zip that has won the hearts of drivers all over the world since the company started in 1910, even if earlier models were (understatement alert) prone to rust. Don't worry about corrosion now; materials and manufacturing techniques are far more sophisticated these days.

Certain FIAT dealerships are also expected to offer the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C. No official price has been released yet, but an educated guess would be somewhere in the region of $60,000. And even though the whole "Alfa Romeo comes back to the U.S. after a 19-year absence" scheme has suffered a few setbacks, the idea is to follow this compact coupe with the Giulia compact sedan, Giulietta compact hatchback and the Spider roadster. The latter is especially interesting because it's a joint project with Mazda, forming the basis for a new MX-5 Miata in the process.

What it means to you: If you're a robot or a Vulcan, then perhaps this all means very little to you. But if you have even the mildest passion for cars, then the American renaissance of this grand Italian marque is a cause for celebration.

This image is a stock photo and is not an exact representation of any vehicle offered for sale. Advertised vehicles of this model may have styling, trim levels, colors and optional equipment that differ from the stock photo.